Online identification keys.

[Chapman, Alex]

Simple interactive identification of the vascular flora of Western Australia is available in FloraBase, http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au .  The identification process is simplistic, without iterative interrogation, 'best' character ranking or the inclusion of 'unknowns' in the taxa matched.  However, it is based on a maintained DELTA dataset and so a fully interactive key to the 12,500 vascular plant taxa in WA is possible in future.  

We have found that a web-enabled key of this nature integrated into the herbarium's other maintained datasets of names and specimens, plus taxon images and maps is a very powerful tool for both scientists and the community.

Additionally, interactive keys (using Intkey) to the families and genera of flowering plants in WA are soon to be added to FloraBase, with specialist keys for certain significant genera also well advanced.

I would strongly concur with the notion that illustrated glossaries and detailed character definitions are an essential tool in the development and presentation of interactive keys.  They should be considered an integral part of the data coding and development of any interactive key product, regardless of the specific software tool chosen.

Regards,
Alex
____
Alex R. Chapman                   Email: alexc at calm.wa.gov.au
Editor - Nuytsia              http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au
Research Scientist           Voice/Fax: +61 8 9334 0513 /0515
WA Herbarium - Department of Conservation and Land Management
Locked Bag 104 Bentley Delivery Centre Western Australia 6983  

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Roger Hyam [mailto:roger at HYAM.NET]
> Sent: Wednesday, 30 July 2003 11:48 PM
> To: TAXACOM at USOBI.ORG
> Subject: Online identification keys.
> 
> 
> I am doing a little research into online, interactive identification
> keys principly of plants but animals would be interesting to.
> 
> Has anyone got favourites they could suggest?
> 
> What would people really like from such a key?
>